10 Mistakes to Avoid in League of Legends

Common Mistakes of Beginners in League of Legends

If you're new to League of Legends, it can be overwhelming to navigate the complex gameplay and strategies. However, even experienced players make mistakes that can cost them a game. In this guide, we'll discuss some common mistakes made by new LOL players and how to avoid them.

One of the most significant legends mistakes that beginners often commit is not understanding their champion's abilities fully. It's essential to read up on your champion before playing them so that you know which abilities are best suited for different situations. Many new lol players don't take advantage of items and runes that can significantly enhance their gameplay.

Another mistake is not keeping track of objectives such as dragon and baron spawns or failing to communicate with your team effectively. Communication is key in League of Legends, so make sure you use pings or chat functions to keep your team informed about what's happening on the map.

New lol players also tend to overextend themselves without considering the risks involved. Overextending can lead to being ganked by enemy champions or losing valuable resources such as towers or inhibitors. Always be aware of where enemy champions are on the map and play defensively when necessary.

Furthermore, beginners often forget about vision control and ward placement. Wards provide crucial information about enemy movements and allow you to anticipate ganks or ambushes. Make sure you place wards strategically around objectives like dragon or baron pit.

Lastly, one common mistake some new lol players make is focusing too much on kills rather than objectives. While getting kills is satisfying, they don't necessarily win games; taking down towers or inhibitors does. Remember always to prioritize objectives over kills.

10 Beginner Mistakes to Avoid in League of Legends

Not Checking Availability and Giving Up Too Easily

Check Your Abilities Before Going All-In

Before engaging in a fight, make sure to check your ability cooldowns. It is essential to know when your abilities will be available again as it can determine whether you win or lose the fight. Engaging without checking can lead to disastrous results and give the enemy an advantage over you. By taking the time to look at your ability cooldowns, you can plan your attack better and make informed decisions.

Don't Give Up Too Easily

One of the most common mistakes beginners make is giving up too easily. It's important to remember that even if things are not going well, there may still be a chance to turn the game around. Instead of giving up, take a step back and assess the situation. Look at where you can go on the map to make an impact and try different strategies until something works.

Many Times Losing Lane Pressure Doesn't Mean You've Lost The Game

Losing lane pressure doesn't necessarily mean that you've lost the game. The key is not to panic and keep calm under pressure. Losing lane pressure means that you're behind in terms of gold and experience compared to your opponent, but it doesn't mean that all hope is lost. Keep farming minions for gold income while looking for opportunities to get kills or assists elsewhere on the map.

Use Pink Wards To Gain Vision Control And Deny Enemy Vision

Pink wards are essential items that provide vision control by revealing invisible units such as stealthed champions or wards placed by enemies. They also deny enemy vision, making it harder for them to ambush or gank you. Use pink wards wisely by placing them in strategic locations such as bushes near objectives like Baron Nashor or Dragon.

Focus On Getting As Much CS As Possible To Increase Your Gold Income

CS stands for "creep score," which refers to how many minions and monsters you have killed throughout the game. Getting as much CS as possible is crucial as it increases your gold income, allowing you to buy stronger items and deal more damage. Focus on farming minions while avoiding unnecessary fights that can lead to death.

Remember That You Have Agency Over Your Own Gameplay And Decisions

As a player, you have agency over your own gameplay and decisions. It's up to you to decide what champion to play, which lane to go to, and how you want to approach the game. Don't get too caught up in your champion's name or lore; instead, focus on their strengths and weaknesses. By understanding your champion's abilities and playstyle, you can make informed decisions that will impact the game positively.

Facechecking Alone and Ignoring Warding

Facechecking Alone: A Recipe for Disaster

One of the most common mistakes that beginner players make in League of Legends is facechecking alone. This occurs when a player moves into an unwarded area without any teammates or allies nearby, exposing themselves to potential enemy ambushes. Facechecking alone can be a recipe for disaster, as it provides the enemy team with an opportunity to catch you off guard and take you out.

To avoid facechecking alone, it is important to prioritize warding. Warding provides vision and helps prevent facechecking by providing information about enemy movements and objectives. Proper ward placement can also provide valuable information about the enemy's location and intentions, allowing you to make informed decisions about where to move and when.

Ignoring Warding: Leaving Yourself Vulnerable

Ignoring warding is another mistake that beginner players often make. When you fail to place wards or ignore them altogether, you leave yourself vulnerable to ganks and map control by the enemy team. Without proper vision, you cannot see incoming threats or anticipate enemy movements effectively.

Warding should be a top priority for all players in League of Legends, regardless of their role or position on the map. By placing wards strategically throughout the map, you can gain valuable information about the enemy's location and intentions while also preventing surprise attacks from catching you off guard.

Proper Ward Placement: The Key to Success

Proper ward placement is essential if you want to avoid facechecking alone and ignoring warding in League of Legends. There are several key areas where wards should be placed for maximum effectiveness:

• River bushes: These are prime locations for early game ganks.
• Baron/Dragon pit: These objectives are crucial for securing victory.
• Enemy jungle entrances/exits: Placing wards here allows you to track the enemy jungler's movements.
• Bushes near your lane: These provide protection against surprise attacks from enemies hiding within them.

By placing wards in these key locations, you can gain valuable information about the enemy's movements and intentions while also preventing surprise attacks from catching you off guard.

Buying the Wrong Items and Prioritizing Poorly

Poor itemization is one of the most common mistakes that beginners make in League of Legends. Buying the wrong items or prioritizing poorly can lead to a poor performance, low health, and vulnerability to enemy attacks. In this section, we will discuss how to avoid these mistakes and ensure that you are buying the right items for your champion.

Understanding the Purpose of Each Item

Before purchasing an item, it is important to understand its purpose. Each item has unique stats and passive effects that can benefit your champion in different ways. For example, if you are playing an AD carry like Jinx or Vayne, you should prioritize items that increase your attack damage (AD) and critical strike chance (Crit). On the other hand, if you are playing a tank like Maokai or Malphite, you should prioritize items that increase your health and armor.

Buying Items in the Wrong Order

Another mistake that beginners make is buying items in the wrong order. It is important to prioritize your purchases based on what will benefit your champion most at each stage of the game. For example, if you are playing an AP mid laner like Syndra or Orianna, you should start with a Doran's Ring for mana sustain and AP. Then build into Luden's Echo for more damage output before building Zhonya's Hourglass for survivability.

Prioritizing Items That Complement Your Champion's Abilities

When choosing items for your champion, always prioritize those that complement their abilities and playstyle. For example, if you are playing Yasuo who relies heavily on critical strikes and mobility, then building Infinity Edge followed by Statikk Shiv would be ideal as they both provide him with extra crit chance while also increasing his movement speed.

On the other hand, if you are playing a mage like Lux who relies on her abilities to deal damage from afar then building Luden's Echo followed by Rabadon's Deathcap would be a good choice as they both increase her ability power which in turn increases the damage of her spells.

Overextending without Vision and Poor Wave Management

Overextending without vision is one of the most common mistakes that beginners make in League of Legends. It can be tempting to push forward into enemy territory, but doing so without proper vision can lead to getting caught out by enemy champions. This can result in giving up valuable gold and experience, as well as putting your team at a disadvantage.

Poor wave management is another mistake that beginners often make. If you fail to properly manage minion waves, you could end up losing out on gold and experience from those waves. This can put you at a disadvantage which can impact your ability to contribute to team fights later on.

To avoid these mistakes, it's important to prioritize vision and wave management throughout the game. Warding key areas of the map can help provide valuable information about enemy movements, allowing you to anticipate potential ganks or ambushes. Pushing minion waves before roaming or engaging in team fights can help create pressure on the map and allow for more opportunities to take objectives like towers or dragon.

Roaming without pushing the minion wave is another mistake that beginners often make. While it's important to look for opportunities to gank other lanes or secure objectives around the map, failing to push minion waves first can result in losing out on tower damage and map pressure. By taking the time to clear minions before roaming, you'll be able to create more opportunities for your team while also ensuring that you don't fall behind in terms of gold and experience.

Diving without proper vision and wave management is yet another mistake that beginners should avoid making. When attempting a dive under an enemy turret, it's important to have proper vision of both the enemy champion(s) as well as any nearby minions. Failing to do so can result in taking unnecessary damage from enemy minions, potentially leading to death or loss of objective control.

Finally, failing to properly manage the first and second minion waves can put you at a disadvantage in terms of damage output and range. By focusing on last-hitting minions during these early stages of the game, you'll be able to level up faster and gain access to more powerful abilities. This can give you an advantage when it comes to engaging with enemy champions or taking objectives like dragon or Baron.

Chasing Kills for Too Long and Picking the Wrong Fights

Overchasing Kills Can Lead to You Being Out of Position and Vulnerable to Enemy Attacks

One of the most common mistakes that beginners make in League of Legends is overchasing kills. While it can be tempting to chase down an enemy champion who is low on health, doing so can often lead to you being out of position and vulnerable to enemy attacks. This is especially true if you are chasing a kill into the enemy's territory or without proper vision.

When you overchase kills, you risk putting yourself in a dangerous situation where the enemy team can easily take advantage of your vulnerability. Instead, it's important to focus on securing objectives such as turrets, dragons, and barons. These objectives provide significant advantages that can help your team win the game.

Focusing Too Much on Kills Can Cause You to Neglect Objectives

Another mistake that beginners often make is focusing too much on kills and neglecting objectives. While getting kills can be satisfying, they do not necessarily translate into winning the game. In fact, neglecting objectives can actually hurt your chances of winning.

Objectives are crucial for winning games in League of Legends because they provide your team with significant advantages such as gold, experience points, and map control. By focusing solely on kills, you risk falling behind in these areas which can ultimately lead to a loss.

Picking Fights Without Considering Your Team's Strengths and Weaknesses Can Result in Unnecessary Deaths

Another mistake that beginners make is picking fights without considering their team's strengths and weaknesses. It's important to understand which champions on your team excel at certain roles (such as tanking or dealing damage) and which champions may struggle in certain situations.

If you pick fights without considering these factors, you risk putting yourself and your teammates in unnecessary danger which can result in deaths. Instead, it's important to communicate with your team before engaging in fights so that everyone is aware of the plan and can work together to achieve victory.

Knowing When to Disengage from a Fight Is Just as Important as Knowing When to Engage

In addition to knowing when to engage in fights, it's also important to know when to disengage. Sometimes, fights may not go as planned or the enemy team may have an advantage that makes it difficult for you to win. In these situations, it's important to recognize when it's time to retreat and regroup rather than continuing the fight and risking unnecessary deaths.

Communication with Your Team Is Key in Avoiding Overchasing Kills and Picking the Wrong Fights

Finally, communication with your team is key in avoiding overchasing kills and picking the wrong fights. By communicating effectively with your teammates, you can coordinate strategies and work together towards achieving objectives rather than solely focusing on kills.

Leveling the Wrong Abilities and Champion Hopping

Leveling up abilities is a crucial part of playing League of Legends. However, it's important to level up the right abilities at the right time. Leveling up an ability that doesn't benefit your champion can be detrimental to your effectiveness in the game. For example, if you're playing as Jinx and you level up her chompers (E) ability instead of her zap! (W) ability, you'll miss out on valuable poke damage.

It's essential to understand what each ability does and when it's most effective. Reading guides or watching videos on how to play a specific champion can help you learn which abilities to prioritize. Experimenting with different leveling orders in practice mode can help you find what works best for your playstyle.

Champion hopping is another common mistake that new players make. While having a diverse champion pool is important, trying to learn too many champions at once can be overwhelming and prevent you from mastering a specific champ. It's better to focus on one or two champions until you feel comfortable with their mechanics before moving on to others.

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of enemy champions is also crucial for success in League of Legends. Knowing which champions are strong against yours can help you make better decisions during laning phase and team fights. For example, if you're playing as Jinx against a Blitzcrank support, it's important to stay behind minions and avoid getting hooked.

One dangerous champion that players often underestimate is Janna. Her skillset can turn the tide of a game with her crowd control abilities and shields/heals for allies. It's important not to underestimate her power in team fights or when defending objectives like turrets or dragon/baron.

Not Giving Opponents Enough Credit and Communication Issues

Underestimating Opponents Can Lead to Unexpected Losses

One of the most common mistakes that beginners make in League of Legends is underestimating their opponents. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as assuming that they are less experienced or skilled than you, or simply not paying enough attention to what they are doing.

However, underestimating your opponents can have serious consequences. It can lead to unexpected losses and missed opportunities, as well as a lack of respect for your opponents and their abilities.

To avoid this mistake, it is important to always give your opponents the credit they deserve. Pay attention to their movements and strategies, and be prepared to adapt your own gameplay accordingly. Remember that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, so don't assume that you will automatically come out on top just because you think you are better than your opponent.

Communication Issues Can Cause Misunderstandings and Missed Opportunities

Another common mistake in League of Legends is communication issues. When playing with others, it is essential to communicate effectively in order to coordinate strategies and make sure everyone is on the same page.

However, communication issues can arise when people don't speak the same language or have different playstyles. This can lead to misunderstandings and missed opportunities, which can ultimately cost you the game.

To avoid these issues, it's important to be clear and concise when communicating with others. Use pings to indicate important information such as enemy locations or objectives that need to be taken. Make sure everyone knows what their role is in the game, and be willing to adjust your strategy if necessary based on feedback from others.

Cooldowns And Minion Waves Should Be Considered When Engaging With Opponents

When engaging with opponents in League of Legends, it's important to consider factors such as cooldowns and minion waves. Cooldowns refer to how long it takes for certain abilities or spells to become available again after being used. Minion waves refer to the groups of minions that spawn periodically and can be used to your advantage in battles.

By paying attention to these factors, you can make more informed decisions about when to engage with your opponents. For example, if an opponent has just used a powerful ability with a long cooldown, this might be a good time to attack them while they are vulnerable. Similarly, if there is a large minion wave pushing towards an enemy tower, this might be a good opportunity to push for objectives or engage in team fights.

Not Trusting Team Members Can Lead To Poor Decision-Making And Lost Fights

Finally, it's important to trust your team members in League of Legends. Not trusting others can lead to poor decision-making and lost fights, as well as tension and conflict within the team.

To avoid this mistake, it's important to communicate effectively with your teammates and work together towards common goals. Recognize each other's strengths and weaknesses, and be willing to adjust your own playstyle accordingly. Remember that everyone on the team has something valuable to contribute, so don't dismiss anyone's ideas or strategies without giving them proper consideration.

Recognizing The Strengths And Weaknesses Of The Enemy Team Is Crucial For Success

In order to succeed in League of Legends, it's important to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy team. This can help you make more informed decisions about when and how to engage with them.

For example, if the enemy team has strong crowd control abilities but weak damage output, you might want to focus on taking out their damage dealers first before trying to take down their tanks. Similarly, if the enemy team is heavily reliant on one particular champion or strategy, you might want to try countering that strategy by picking champions or items that are effective against it.

By recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents, you can gain a strategic advantage that will help you win more games in League of Legends.

Tips and Strategies to Avoid Beginner Mistakes

Understand the Objectives of the Game

To avoid common mistakes, new players should understand the objectives of League of Legends. The primary objective is to destroy the enemy team's Nexus, which is located in their base. To achieve this goal, players must first take down enemy turrets and inhibitors that protect the Nexus. However, it's essential to remember that killing enemy champions isn't the only way to win. Players should focus on farming minions and securing objectives like Baron Nashor or Dragon.

Choosing a Champion That Suits Your Playstyle

One of the most significant beginner mistakes in League of Legends is choosing a champion based solely on their appearance or popularity. Instead, new players should select a champion that suits their playstyle and learn how to use their abilities effectively. For example, if you prefer playing aggressively, champions like Darius or Yasuo might be suitable for you. On the other hand, if you prefer playing defensively and supporting your team members, then champions like Soraka or Janna could be better for you.

Supporting Your Team by Playing Your Role Well

Playing one's role well is critical in League of Legends because each role has specific responsibilities that contribute to winning the game. As a support player, your primary goal is not to deal damage but rather provide assistance to your allies by healing them or setting up kills with crowd control abilities like stuns or slows. Poke your enemies with basic attacks when they are out of position but don't overextend and risk getting killed.

Controlling the Base and Building Stats

Controlling your base is crucial in League of Legends because it allows you to defend against enemy attacks while also providing opportunities for counter-attacks. Building stats correctly can make a massive difference in games as it can give players an edge over their opponents during fights. It's essential to build items that complement your champion's strengths while also taking into account what items will be beneficial against specific enemy champions.

Improving Your Gameplay in League of Legends

Keep Track of the Enemy Jungler's Movements

One of the most crucial aspects of improving your gameplay in League of Legends is to keep track of the enemy jungler's movements. As a player, you need to be aware of where the enemy jungler is at all times to avoid getting caught off guard and giving away free kills. The best way to do this is by paying attention to the minimap and keeping an eye on which lanes are being ganked.

You can also use wards to gain vision in key areas of the map, such as river entrances or bushes near your lane. By placing wards strategically, you can prevent ganks from happening and give yourself more time to react if the enemy jungler does decide to make a move.

Buying Too Many Potions and Items: The Importance of Prioritizing

Prioritizing Items Over Health Potions: Making the Right Choice

Health potions are essential items in League of Legends as they help restore health and keep you in the game. However, buying too many health potions can be a waste of gold. It's important to prioritize items that provide long-term benefits such as damage or defense over multiple health potions.

When deciding how many health potions to buy, it's crucial to consider the situation and the champion you're playing. For instance, if you're playing a champion with high sustain like Warwick or Mundo, investing in too many health potions may not be necessary since their abilities already provide them with enough healing. On the other hand, champions who lack sustain like Jinx or Teemo may need more health potions to stay alive during fights.

It's also important to note that investing in items that provide sustain can be more effective than buying multiple health potions. Lifesteal and spell vamp items can help restore your health while dealing damage at the same time. Similarly, items that offer regeneration like Warmog's Armor or Spirit Visage can help you regenerate your lost HP over time without having to rely on health pots.

Learning how to prioritize items and manage gold effectively is crucial for improving your gameplay in League of Legends. Buying too many unnecessary items or health potions can set you back from achieving your goals and winning games.

Giving Up Before the Game is Over: The Importance of Perseverance

Missed Opportunities for a Comeback

It's not uncommon for players to give up early in the game, especially if their team falls behind in the early game. However, this can lead to missed opportunities for a comeback. Even if your team is struggling, it's important to keep playing and trying to turn things around. You never know when you might catch a break or make a play that shifts the momentum in your favor.

Surrendering Too Soon

Many players make the mistake of surrendering too soon, even when their team still has a chance to win. This can be frustrating for other members of your team who are still fighting and trying to win. If you're thinking about surrendering, take a moment to consider whether there's anything else you could do to help your team come back. Maybe you need to change up your strategy or focus on different objectives.

Engaging and Taking Advantage

One way to turn the game around is by engaging in fights and taking advantage of power spikes. Even if your team is behind, good engages can catch opponents off guard and lead to key picks that swing the game in your favor. Understanding power spikes (moments when certain champions become particularly strong) can help you time fights and skirmishes more effectively.

Understanding Your Role

Another important aspect of perseverance is understanding your role in the team composition and adapting your playstyle accordingly. For example, if you're playing as a tank or support champion, it might be better for you to focus on peeling for your carries rather than diving into fights yourself. On the other hand, if you're playing an assassin or bruiser champion, you might need to take more risks and engage aggressively.

Crowd Control

In addition to understanding your role, it's also important to pay attention to crowd control (CC) abilities like stuns, slows, and roots. CC can be a game-changer in team fights, allowing you to lock down key targets or disrupt opponents' abilities. If you're playing a champion with strong CC, try to coordinate with your team to set up plays and capitalize on enemy mistakes.

Not Using Wards: The Key to Map Awareness

Hidden Wards: The Key to Map Awareness

Warding is an essential aspect of League of Legends gameplay that players often overlook. The strategic placement of wards can provide valuable information about enemy movements, prevent ganks, and improve overall team coordination. Hidden wards are a particularly useful tool for gaining vision without being detected by the enemy team.

Hidden wards, also known as stealth wards, are invisible to the enemy team and last for up to 180 seconds. These wards can be placed anywhere on the map and provide vision in their immediate area. They are especially useful for tracking enemy junglers or preventing surprise attacks from roaming enemies.

To make the most of hidden wards, it's important to place them in strategic locations where they will provide maximum vision coverage. For example, placing a ward near dragon or Baron Nashor can help your team keep track of these objectives and prepare for potential fights. Similarly, placing a ward in high-traffic areas like river bushes or jungle entrances can help you spot incoming enemies before they catch you off guard.

Vision Wards: Controlling Vision in an Area

While hidden wards are great for gaining vision without detection, vision wards offer another key advantage: revealing and disabling enemy wards. Vision wards last indefinitely but are visible to the enemy team unless placed inside a bush or behind terrain.

Vision control is crucial for controlling objectives and securing victory in League of Legends matches. By placing vision wards strategically throughout the map, you can deny your opponents' ability to gather information about your movements and gain a significant advantage over them.

One effective way to use vision control is by placing a ward in a bush near an objective like dragon or Baron Nashor. This allows your team to keep tabs on any incoming enemies while also denying your opponents' ability to sneakily take the objective themselves.

The Importance of Warding Focus

Focusing on warding may not seem like the most exciting aspect of League of Legends gameplay, but it can make a huge difference in your team's success. By consistently placing wards and paying attention to vision control, you can prevent ganks, track enemy movements, and set up successful plays.

It's important to communicate with your team about warding as well. Encourage your teammates to place wards in strategic locations and coordinate vision control efforts to maximize their effectiveness. By working together to maintain vision coverage throughout the map, you'll be able to gain a strategic advantage over your opponents and secure victory.

Positioning in Lane: Picking the Right Time to Fight

One of the most important skills a player can have is knowing when to engage in a fight. This is especially true when it comes to positioning in lane. Picking the right time to fight can be the difference between winning and losing a game.

Firstly, it's important to understand that each champion has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some champions excel at poking from afar while others are better suited for close combat. Understanding your champion's abilities and playstyle is crucial when it comes to positioning in lane.

Secondly, keeping an eye on your opponent's cooldowns is key. If you notice that they've used their abilities or summoner spells, this may be a good opportunity for you to engage in a fight.

Thirdly, vision is everything. Warding key areas around your lane can help you avoid ganks and make informed decisions about when to fight. Paying attention to the minimap can give you insight into where the enemy team may be lurking.

Fourthly, wave management plays an important role in positioning as well. Knowing when to push or freeze a wave can put you at an advantage over your opponent.

Finally, communication with your team is essential. Letting them know when you plan on engaging or if there are any missing enemies can prevent unnecessary deaths and turn fights in your favor.

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